Auto sync based on waveform

OK, I've done this a ton of times but for some reason it's being difficult.

New project
Imported all video w/ internal audio + external audio
Select all
Auto sync based on waveform and append tracks

When I go to edit and drag a clip in, it has 2 tracks of the internal audio. If I sync again in the Media Pool on the edit page, it says it's syncing. I drag a clip in again, still 2 tracks with the internal audio. If I drag the external audio (track 3 below) from the media pool that I just sync'd with onto the timeline, it syncs with the video/ internal audio when I auto align. Shouldn't it be doing this when I sync in the media pool instead of on the timeline?

audio tracks.png (38.73 KiB) Viewed 524 times

I have played around with all of the channels on the clip attributes but that isn't finding the external audio.

Yes it should work if you're doing what you're describing.

I just played around with it a bit and found that waveform autosync requires that, for the video clips, the sound to be synced is on tracks 1 and 2. There's no such requirement for the audio clips.

To me this sounds like a bug or misfeature. But it doesn't appear, from what you've posted in your screen caps, that that's what's going on for you.

When it says it's syncing does it just come back without an error message? For me it either syncs all clips or, if any don't match, gives me a list of the clips that didn't sync.

Yes, there is a list of files that didn't sync. Presumably all MOS video and foley audio clips. I did go through the list to make sure that neither of the clips in the above image were not noted as un-sync'd.

I just think it's really weird that when I select all audio and video clips and tell it to sync them, it for some reason just duplicates the in-camera audio tracks (lav / camera inbuilt mic) but ignores the good external (boom / shotgun) clips that do sync well individually on the timeline. I've tried this with both 'sync based on waveform' and 'sync based on waveform and append.' I do want to append though as there may be good audio (lav) on the in-camera track.

Perhaps I'm doing the workflow...differently...than intended? I would find it very odd if it was intended that we cut a film then go through each clip and manually sync the audio to those.

It's intended to work as you expect. I'm editing a feature and did manage to sync the whole thing using waveform sync.

Would you screen record your attempt and post a link to it here so we can see your process? Perhaps also record audio and tell us what you're doing as you go.

when I select all audio and video clips and tell it to sync them, it for some reason just duplicates the in-camera audio tracks

That doesn't sound right.

Can you create a very small project that does this and share the Archive?